The Dutch Cheese Markets

The Dutch cheese markets are a centuries-old spectacle, most famously at Alkmaar, where great golden wheels of Gouda and Edam are piled in a historic square and traded in a ritual of hand-clapping haggling, then carried on wooden barrows by white-clad porters of the ancient cheese-carriers' guild. A living taste of old Holland, it is pure theatre with a wedge of cheese to take home.

Highlights

• The porters' guild - the white-clad carriers shuttling cheese on wooden barrows.
• The wheels of cheese - the golden rounds of Gouda and Edam piled in the square.
• The haggling ritual - the traditional hand-clapping of the trade.
• The historic square - the old weigh house and market place.

When to go

The markets run on set days in the warm season, typically a weekday morning from spring to early autumn at Alkmaar, so check the exact market days and go early for a spot near the front. Gouda and Edam hold their own.

Practical notes

It runs only on set market days in the warm season, so check the schedule; outside those, there is no spectacle. It is a staged tradition kept alive for visitors, so it is touristy, but genuinely charming and free. Go early for a view over the crowd.

Nearby

Alkmaar's old town surrounds the square; Amsterdam and the windmills are within easy reach.